Re: User vs. Kernel (was: To be smug, or not to be smug, that is , the question)

Steve Dodd (dirk@loth.demon.co.uk)
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 16:48:46 +0000


Hi,

On Thu, Jan 21, 1999 at 02:57:28PM -0800, Jon M. Taylor wrote:

> That is IMHO a bad idea. Linux, because it follows the
> traditional Unix monolithic kernel model, is already so obsolete that it
> really isn't worth putting serious time into incompatible API
> improvements.

Hmm, I don't know. Forking one of {Linux,{Free,Net,Open}BSD} or some other
Open Source OS and redoing the API and some of the guts in a better way
without being backwardly compatible has its advantages. I agree that
'monolithic' is on its way out, but very slowly. A monolothic kernel with a
new API would be an interesting and useful 'toy' even if it never hit the
mainstream. It would also be a good way of testing API features for future
more advanced OSs, as monolithic kernels have the advantage of (relative)
simplicity and widespread comprehension.

S.

-- 
%DCL-MEM-BAD, bad memory
VMS-F-PDGERS, pudding between the ears

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